The world in which we live is rapidly changing and flexible packaging is no different. Flexible packaging has been brought to a whole new level through globalization. Uteco has listened to what marketers and end-users are asking — and demanding — from the flexible packaging industry. Some of these demands include eco friendliness, reduction of carbon footprint and reduction of energy consumption, recyclable materials, increased safety in food packaging and manufacturing plants and lastly, efficiency for short print runs. Our focus this year is on promoting the EB flexo press, which is a more Eco Friendly printing process. Uteco will also continue to work toward increasing productivity, decreasing running costs and presenting more innovative technology opportunities that will enhance the future of printing. Uteco has and will continue to meet consumers’ demands and expectations by offering them products that will optimize their growth in this industry.

Flexo EB has a multitude of advantages over traditional flexo solvent inks. Advantages such as: • Excellent resistance to abrasion, aging, chemical agents, humidity and light. • No element will migrate through the substrate and/or by contact setoff. • Flexo EB will not alter the characteristics of the food packed, gives no smells in cured inks and does not release volatile organic compounds or other aerial pollutants, thus presenting itself as eco-friendly. It has been forecasted the installation base will grow larger, due to the pressure of environmental constraints for pollution and energy reduction. Therefore, Uteco’s Flexo EB press is the right move for environmentally aware consumers. Another area consumers should be aware of is our continuous commitment building presses to increase productivity and to decrease waste. A growing demand has been placed on companies to produce more diverse packaging with higher quality standards. We can make this possible with our Kiss & Go and SmartMatch printing presses.

Automatic Impression setup The Kiss & Go performs automatic impression settings at the start-up of every new job. It works by directly reading the printed color on the substrate. This allows the end-user to use any type of printing sleeve and anilox sleeve, and without the need of printed marks, which can considerably reduce material wastes. The sophisticated software of the Kiss & Go then scans the print of all the colors and sends the collected data to calculate the optimal printed dot.

Automatic Color Matching At the start of every new job, it’s necessary to find the correspondence between the reference color and the printed color, within given tolerances. In order to cut cost-time and generate less waste, we have created an idyllic and faster solution. The SmartMatch is an automatic color matching system that will reduce the time for on-press color corrections and simultaneously set the right color from the portable kitchen, the SmartKitch.

Global Imaging Management Uteco is committed to the concept of integrating the production process with the transfer of data through using the G.I.M. The end result of incorporating the G.I.M. is optimization of ink usage, the selection of sleeves and anilox rolls, and a correct guideline for the operator to prepare jobs. Uteco stands by several goals to offer our customers. Among them are reducing changeover times, decreasing wastes, increasing productivity and most importantly, investing in future technologies to enhance the printing industry.